The Wandering Jew — Complete eBook

As the half-caste made this impertinent answer to
Djalma, a very elegant blue-and-white carriage stopped
before the garden-gate of the house, which opened
upon a deserted street. It was drawn by a pair
of beautiful blood-horses, of a cream color, with
black manes and tails. The scutcheons on the
harness were of silver, as were also the buttons of
the servants’ livery, which was blue with white
collars. On the blue hammercloth, also laced
with white, as well as on the panels of the doors,
were lozenge-shaped coats of arms, without crest or
coronet, as usually borne by unmarried daughters of
noble families. Two women were in this carriage—­Mdlle.
de Cardoville and Florine.

CHAPTER XLI.

Rising.

To explain the arrival of Mdlle. de Cardoville at
the garden-door of the house occupied by Djalma, we
must cast a retrospective glance at previous events.
On leaving Doctor Baleinier’s, Mdlle. de Cardoville
had gone to take up her residence in the Rue d’Anjou.
During the last few months of her stay with her aunt,
Adrienne had secretly caused this handsome dwelling
to be repaired and furnished, and its luxury and elegance
were now increased by all the wonders of the lodge
of Saint-Dizier House. The world found it very
strange, that a lady of the age and condition of Mdlle.
de Cardoville should take the resolution of living
completely alone and free, and, in fact, of keeping
house exactly like a bachelor, a young widow, or an
emancipated minor. The world pretended not to
know that Mdlle. de Cardoville possessed what is often
wanting in men, whether of age or twice of age—­a
firm character, a lofty mind, a generous heart, strong
and vigorous good sense.

Judging that she would require faithful assistance
in the internal management of her house, Adrienne
had written to the bailiff of Cardoville, and his
wife, old family servants, to come immediately to
Paris: M. Dupont thus filled the office of steward,
and Mme. Dupont that of housekeeper. An
old friend of Adrienne’s father, the Count de
Montbron, an accomplished old man, once very much in
fashion, and still a connoisseur in all sorts of elegances,
had advised Adrienne to act like a princess, and take
an equerry; recommended for this office a man of good
rearing and ripe age, who, himself an amateur in horses,
had been ruined in England, at Newmarket, the Derby,
and Tattersall’s, and reduced, as sometimes
happened to gentlemen in that country, to drive the
stage coaches, thus finding an honest method of earning
his bread, and at the same time gratifying his taste
for horses. Such was M. de Bonneville, M. de
Montbron’s choice. Both from age and habits,
this equerry could accompany Mdlle. de Cardoville
on horseback, and better than any one else, superintend
the stable. He accepted, therefore, the employment
with gratitude, and, thanks to his skill and attention,
the equipages of Mdlle. de Cardoville were not eclipsed